KITCHENER — After calling the costs of firefighting unsustainable, Mayor Carl Zehr said Thursday there is a day of reckoning on the way that involves deep cuts unless changes are made.

As it is, the Kitchener Fire Department is facing an unprecedented proposal to cut $480,000 from its 2013 budget and, while city councillors are divided on the issue, many clearly support some type of reduction.

During a daylong meeting Thursday, the fire department’s budget of $29.6 million was under the spotlight. It is the single most expensive department at the city.

The city’s 2013 operating budget calls for spending about $144 million. Of that amount, $100 million comes from property taxes and almost all of the rest from user fees.

Coun. John Gazzola made it clear the amount of resources consumed by the fire department is causing the scrutiny.

“When I see that 29 per cent of our tax dollars are going to the fire department, down the road we have to come up with some new ideas on how to deal with it,” Gazzola said.

Currently, the 2013 tax-rate increase is set at 2.87 per cent. City councillors want to cut a full percentage point from that, or about $1 million in spending. The proposed cut to the fire department was tabled by city staff after councillors asked for a list of possible reductions to the budget.

Fire Chief Tim Beckett said repeatedly the department provides an optimal level of service and is efficient and effective.

“Most people will know that I am not in favour of cutting the fire service to any degree with regard to staffing and service levels,” Coun. Kelly Galloway-Sealock said.

She was supported by Coun. Bil Ioannidis, who said it is imperative to maintain the current levels of service.

Galloway-Sealock and Ioannidis were the only members of city council to give unqualified support for the fire department and speak against the proposed cut.

The proposed reduction calls for not replacing four firefighters when they retire. The department has four platoons, each with 47 firefighters. While no retirements are scheduled to occur next year, councillors were told at least a couple are likely and further savings could be found in other parts of the city budget to make up the $480,000 cut.

Coun. Frank Etherington said the fire department is — “excuse the pun” — burning up the city’s budget.

Staff costs have jumped 22 per cent or $5.5 million in the past five years, Etherington said.

“My question is, you are the guy in charge over there, you are the boss, what solution do you propose?” Etherington said. “How do we control this? Or do we just do nothing and, like with the police, just let it continue and continue?”

Beckett said the costs are out of the department’s control because provincial arbitrators impose expensive contracts on the fire service.

“Wages and benefits make up 96 per cent of our entire budget,” Beckett said.

The chief said the level of services should not be changed. He noted it is up to city councillors to decide on the level of service though, and he will implement what the councillors want.

“In a nutshell you are saying it is beyond your control?” Etherington asked.

“Yes,” Beckett said.

Zehr was critical of arbitrators who impose contracts on cities that continually increase the costs of fire departments.

“If some amendments are not made to the level of compensation made in some arbitration awards, we will have to start looking at some other unthinkable solutions to the total cost envelope for fire,” Zehr said.

“It is not just Kitchener, it is every municipality,” Zehr said. “When you extrapolate out what has been awarded at this point in time, it is totally unsustainable.”

Zehr said there is a day of reckoning coming sooner rather than later.

Coun. Yvonne Fernandes echoed the mayor’s comments.

“There will be a day of reckoning,” Fernandes said. “Before we get to that point, a cut like this is more palatable.”

Coun. Scott Davey, who chairs the finance committee, asked about calls for service and it became clear that fires are responsible for less than one per cent.

“This council places a lot of value on our parks, our trails, our arenas, our community centres, our playing fields and our libraries,” Davey said. “What happens is the money gets diverted from these other priorities this council has.”

Earlier in the day, it was noted that firefighters are the last group of city workers to retain sick-leave payouts when they retire. All other city workers lost those payouts about 10 years ago, although employees at that time were grandfathered-in.

It will be another 10 years before those costs disappear entirely. Last year, the payouts cost taxpayers about $1.6 million.

City councillors will give final approval to the 2013 budget on Jan. 17. A meeting is scheduled for Jan. 7 for public input.